EVENT: A howling wind shrieks through the skies above Horseshoe Harbor as the snows grow in intensity. A glowing form emerges from the slate gray clouds that blot out the sun and descends towards the town, galloping through the air and leaving a trail of dark, angry clouds in its wake. The windigo is coming!

Throughout the summer blizzard there have been ponies who have done their best to keep the town reasonably livable despite the best attempts of the windigo above to wreck everything. The snow plows were pulled back out of storage and, though many side streets were left untouched, the main avenues of the town have been cleared regularly to help maintain some semblance of normalcy amidst the chaos. And where do all major roads in Horseshoe Harbor meet if not the town square?

It is here that the windigo descends from the heavens, translucent blue hooves touching down lightly upon the frost-dusted cobbles. Ice spreads around its front hooves, inching slowly but inevitably away in jagged, uneven sheets, while the mist which makes up its hindquarters oozes over the ground and creates a knee deep shroud which rapidly fills the area. Its gaze seems singularly focused upon a single building: the schoolhouse.

Wishy-Washy gallops from the mane affair hastily across the slickened streets, having quickly donned her adventuring gear that she had acquired over the week. This was her chance to make things right, and this time there will certainly be other ponies to help, not to mention that second chance. Hopefully things come together as she gallops her way to the icy blue light illuminating the streets.

Moon-Willow is dressed in her armor, with her feather daggers hidden in her wings. Around her neck, wrapped in wire and tied to a steal link chain is the crystal she found in Snowfields hallow. She boldly trots into the town square, staring at the icy creature with no hint of the fear she feels showing. "Snowfield?" She asks the Windigo.

Jellybean has been spearheading those efforts to keep the town livable during this unseasonable weather, and is outside when the Windigo arrives. He swallows nervously. "Oh no." He looks to Typhoon Wave on the other side of the cloud they're pushing and feels warm for a moment despite the cold. "I don't know what's going to happen, but I think we need to be there. They're going to need us."

Blizzards may preclude ice cream from being the summer treat of choice, but hot cocoa sounds like a proper option. So, Blackbird, on a mission through the blizzard, is on his way to the store … only to stop as he sees a Windigo's misty hind quarters before him. He may have been a little oblivious to the cause of the blizzard, but now it seems to be there…staring at his schoolhouse. "…uh," he stammers.

Even in the worse weather, the mail has to be delivered, and nothing so mundane as a supernatural ice horse made out of pure disharmony is going to stop Horseshoe Harbour's dedicated mail pony, Twilight Dancer. Not that anyone knows his name. The muscular pegasus was just delivering some post when he notices the windigo and assorted other ponies. He pauses for a moment, considering just going on with his rounds, but he sighs and lands next to Blackbird. He nods at the earth pony, then starts to step forward to where everyone is gathering. He also makes a mental note to start carrying a spear on his rounds.

A few streets over, Midnight Sun loses sight of the windigo as it dips below the roofline. He frowns out the window after the fairy tale monster for a moment before spitting out his quill, grabbing up his bright red scarf and arachnid sidekick, and launching himself into the twilight. Something is happening. And providing it doesn't turn into a fight, maybe he'll be able to help.

Apart from the random snow that has blanketed the town, Toybox has had no idea what's been going on, let alone that danger has yet again befallen the town! But like any other proper winter day, the foal has donned snowboots and a tan snowcoat. She makes her way off the boat and sees the creature floating over the square. Danger! Adventure! Of course, the filly can't resist hightailing it to where all the action is.

Quintessent-Rune -isn't- dressed in her suit of armor. Merely her winter clothes and her billowing azure cloak. She's also rather startled, swiftly backpedaling from the spirit-shape of the Windigo, eyes wide and a head full of 'I shouldn't have left the bathtub today' going on repeats. At least till her rear end bumps into Twilight Dancer and slips, planting her flank in the snow. "Wh-…what is that?"

Hoarfrost leaps from the little inn she had been staying with Hawthorn as the storm had long since snowed her into the town. "The Windigo!" the only voice that sounds happy to hear its arrival. Galloping the best she can trying to get to the center of town. Of course she forgot everything, her bags, her umbrella, or anything to fight the cold off with in her haste. "Windigo! You're going to take me to Snowfield!"

Typhoon-Wave blinks nervously down at the Square, then looks over at Jellybean, gulping. Is that a Windigo? Yes, that's a Windigo. There. Real. Actual solid living ice-demon right there. AAAAAAAHHH okay no. This is not panic time. This is do-something-useful time. She takes a deep breath, flutters her wings, and nods. "R-right. Yeah. I… I think you're right. Let's get down there. …Just… s-stay close, alright?"

Twilight-Dancer sighs and picks up Rune, setting her on her hooves. "Windigo," he tells her. "Usually best to spear first, ask question la… ah…" He blinks as foals start running into the square. Well, that can't be good. "Stay here," he tells Rune sternly, then takes to the sky to collect Hoarfrost and Toybox before they get eaten or turned to stone or something.

Jellybean smiles to Typhoon Wave. "Always. I promised and everything." With that he flies down towards the ruckus, coming to a landing on the roof of the schoolhouse gingerly. He regards the Windigo. "Snowfield? I'm pretty sure that's you. Is there any way we can talk about this?" He hoofscuffs. "I mean, I know that you aren't a fan of hugs or anything, but I've got a feeling that I understand what this is about and I want to help. I care about you. You're my friend."

Suddenly Sunshine! The pony, anyway. Galloping along behind Wishy, given that she sorta bunks at the Blossom household anyway and got word of the touchdown at about the same time. "I hope you know what you're doing with all this!"

Blackbird is about to nod at Twilight and Rune and say something potentially useful, but Jellybean's words get his attention instead. "…Snowfield?" he blurts in confusion.

As ponies arrive from all directions to confront the creature the windigo nickers angrily at the building in front of it. It rears back and kicks its forehooves at the schoolhouse threateningly before bringing them down upon the cobblestones hard. The impact site explodes outward into great stalagmites of ice spiking out in all directions… as does all of the ground in front of the windigo, Like a wave bearing down upon a defenseless sandcastle the stalagmites burst out of the ground closer and closer to the schoolhouse, getting larger with each passing moment, moving so quickly across the ground as to be unstoppable.

The blast of magic takes mere seconds to resolve itself but does amazing damage in the process. Great icicles have shredded the front of the schoolhouse, splintering its wooden walls. Several more monstrously large stalagmites have erupted within the middle of the building, impaling it clear through and breaking through the building's roof. The loft has been completely decimated, the finality of its destruction punctuated by the twisted remains of the telescope hitting the ground a hundred feet away. School will probably not be starting on time at the end of the month.

It surveys its hoofwork for several long moments before turning around and looking at the assembled ponies, eyes aflame with cyan magic. It snorts dismissively at Moon-Willow when the pegasus uses the forest witch's name. Her snort is… slightly less dismissive when Blackbird says the same. More angry than anything else, really.

Moon-Willow nears closer to the Windigo. "Snowfield, you have to stop. Remember the ponies that care for you. Remember HIM. The one you gave your heart to. I thought you loved him? You can't keep your heart frozen like this. Please…please stop. I don't want to have to do something like hurt you." She lifts the crystal up with her hoof, "Don't you want this back?"

"THAT is a Windigo?" asked Quintessent into thin air, then her ears perked and she turned towards Blackbird. "Snowfield…? As in, the supposed ice witch of the forest Snowfield? The Snowfield that let her heart be frozen? That Snowfield?"

Quintessent half-turned towards the Windigo, taking a step back as it shattered the roof and smashing the school. "The Snowfield-supposedly-tuned-Windigo that makes me rather regret waking up this morning?"

Wishy-Washy keeps on galloping, spotting the Windigo with her own two eyes now and going wide eyed at the spiky destruction wrought before her. she gallops up and stops before the Windigo. "SO!…" She takes a second to draw in some breath, the cold being a little bit sapping. "We meet again! This time I come armed with knowledge. and it seems the secret is out. Who you are, why you are so hurt… and personally, I think you're selfish if you don't take Moon Willow's offer. you know there's a little filly from daybreak who looks up to you? Wants to grow up to become like you? Is this really how you'd want her to see you? or more importantly, that stallion you so pine for?"

Midnight-Sun careens out of a side street and into the town square just in time to witness the frost explosion. The sudden shock of cold air arrests him in flight and he shivers from muzzle to tail. He really isn't made for this weather; the scarf fluttering in the explosive breeze is more of a defiant gesture than a real help. He hangs fearfully in the air for a moment before spotting the cluster of ponies across the square from him. His relief at seeing some friendly faces is obvious and he wings his way around the perimeter until he can land behind Moon Willow. He's not sure what she thinks she's doing, but he'll back her up anyway. Probably.

Blackbird's eyes widen as the windigo — the Snowfieldigo — sends a crash of icy destruction toward his schoolhouse. His hooves fling up in the air and then clamp to his head, mussing his hair terribly. "GAH! NO! WHAT!" he stares in horror. Of course, Moon-Willow's persuading technique makes his jaw drop and then turn to a full-on wince. He hooks a hoof around Rune and starts backing up. "This isn't going to go over well," he warns.

Small hooves slide across the frozen ground as Toybox tries to come to a sudden stop upon the windigo's assault of the schoolhouse. "Auuuuughhhhh!" The filly lets out a bit of a scream as the telescope comes falling down in her direction. Fortunately it's on the ground sooner than she thinks and rather than falling on her, she thumps into the side of it with an 'oof'. "HEY!" she shouts up at the windigo with an angry pout, "What'dya do that fow!? That wasn't vewy nice!"

Typhoon-Wave follows Jellybean down, however nervously, mind racing as she tries to figure out what to do. That doesn't last for long, though, because ice flies for the Schoolhouse, and very quickly 'what to do' becomes MOVE. She yelps and dives down to try and snatch Jellybean off of the doomed building and back up into the air. "Look out!" That is one angry Windigo.

Quintessent-Rune glanced at Blackbird, scurrying backwards and kicking up snow as she went - at least when she avoided stumbling on her cloak. "You do not have to tell me, I am rather certain I've…" she glanced at the rubble, "sat up and taken notice."

Taking a few more steps back she came to an unsteady halt, a hoof raised before being thrust into the scarf around her neck - far deeper than it should be able to go without coming out the other side - and rummaged about.

Sunshine falls behind, not quite as quick as Wishy at catching up to the scene. She ends up slowing down closer to Blackbird and Rune, blanching at the sight of a true Windigo and the wreckage it's managed to cause with but a simple stomp of hooves. "…seriously?" she grunts, glancing sideways towards Blackbird. He's backing up. That's probably a good idea! She starts to back up too. Mostly because she has no idea what she's going to do just yet.

Jellybean is snatched off the roof, letting out a startled and nervous little yelp as this happens. He regains his composure, as much as he ever has, and nods to Typhoon Wave. "Thank you," he says with a smile. With that, though, he turns his attention back to Snowfield. "I don't think this is what you want, Snowfield. I…" he droops a little. "Actually, I can't really say that I understand what you're feeling. I've been lucky. But I want to understand, and this isn't going to make that happen. You know that. I think you want to be understood but don't think you can be, and that's why you're doing this." He looks to his wife and gives her a small 'trust me' nod and then flies in a little closer to the Windigo. "Can you help me? I want to be a better friend."

"Yeah, I probably shouldn't be here. I'm just going to make things worse. Son of a horseshoe. This is going to be a terrible night." Blackbird, who is really quite the coward sometimes, sliiiiiips behinds Sunshine and crouches just a little.

Twilight-Dancer drops down in front of Toybox, shielding her from the windigo. "Get back," he tells her, attempting to shuffle her away from the ravaged schoolhouse. He looks about, frowning. "You two, over here!" he shouts at Blackbird and Rune, waving them over. He turns to face the windigo, providing a certain amount of cover behind him. Just in case.

No the first time a wave of ice spikes have been launched at her the little white filly is able to roll out of the way."Wait the Windigo is Snowfield?" Hoarfrost says stricken with horror. "She can't be a Windigo!" a bit of panic flashing across her face. "Can that happen? SNOWFIELD!" the little ice witch in training calls out to the Windigo. Eyes darting she sees it focusing on Blackbird though she has no idea who he is, and tries to make her way through the maze of ice spikes toward him.

The windigo's listens to the words of the ponies around it. Wishy-Washy's seem to strike a chord within it, the glow of its eyes softening momentarily. Hoarfrost… it hears the little filly's voice in the crowd and begins to turn its head back and forth to track the source.

Before it can spot her there's a flash of green light within the windigo's chest. Those ponies who are magically sensitive may feel a wave of malicious pressure emanating from the creature momentarily. It doesn't seem to have any effect upon the ponies of the Harbor aside from being mildly unsettling but the Windigo shakes its head and snorts angrily once more.

Moon-Willow's words also have an effect on the creature. Remember him… the pony it gave its heart to… who responded by smashing it to pieces? The one who said that if he ever saw it again he would kill it? That pony?

The windigo remembers.

With a howl of anguish as deep as the winter is cold the monster rushes into the crowd of ponies, trying to knock them all out of the way as it charges the cowering form of Blackbird. Hiding behind Sunshine won't save you, little stallion! Jets of steam erupt from its flared nostrils as it tries to headbutt the teacher with as much force as a raging hate monster can muster.

Everyone between Blackbird and the Windigo, do a +roll at whatever your skill level is to dodge. On a good or higher you get out of the way safely.

GAME: Wishy-Washy made a talent roll with an outcome of Great.GAME: Jellybean made a skilled roll with an outcome of Okay.GAME: Sunshine-Stormcloud made an unskilled roll with an outcome of Bad.GAME: Blackbird made a skilled roll with an outcome of Okay.GAME: The-Windigo made an unskilled roll with an outcome of Bad.GAME: Quintessent-Rune made an unskilled roll with an outcome of Abysmal.GAME: Hoarfrost made an unskilled roll with an outcome of Good.GAME: Typhoon-Wave made a skilled roll with an outcome of Good.GAME: Twilight-Dancer made a skilled roll with an outcome of Bad.GAME: Midnight-Sun made an unskilled roll with an outcome of Bad.

Sunshine's ears splay. Suddenly she has a coward hiding behind her flank! Armored or not, the guardsmare squints behind her at the 'white-knight's cowardly huddling self. "Really?" She starts to turn around! "That's what you have to say? One of your friends turns into a monster, and your reaction is 'welp, poor me'? You should be first in line to—"

TRAMPLED!

Sunshine Stormcloud should've been paying attention to the windigo instead of Blackbird, seeing how the darn ice-monster just up and charged, knocking her full out of the way and into the fountain! Oof! …So much for that great repair job on her legs.

Wishy-Washy effortlessly electric slides out of the way. She got through to it, and the green glow… yes, that's what she felt in the cave. "Blast! Everypony, Listen! whatever that green glow is… that's what caused Snowfield's transformation! There is an outside third party! she doesn't want to actually hurt us! if anything, we have to urge her to fight whatever that green glow is in her chest…!"

Toybox doesn't seem to have any intention of backing down. Bad things floating in the sky being shouted out by other ponies mentioning love and friendship, not to mention the destruction of the school house, are all signs of adventure! She blinks a few times at Twilight Dancer like he's plum crazy. She tenses up and stands straight at the burst of odd green magic but doesn't seem to be discouraged from trying to get even closer to the action.

Twilight-Dancer tries to intercept the Windigo, but that may not have been the best idea. He acks as the windigo goes through him, trampling the poor mailpony. He goes down heavy and groans. Doesn't want to actually hurt us? That's news to poor Dancer.

Quintessent-Rune blinked as the Windigo surged forward and let out a squeak.

A moment the seapony-in-disguise went flying over Sunshine and Blackbird, seeing starfishes, and came crashing down into a pile of snow - and by the sound of it the wooden stall underneath. Ah well, in a place like the Harbour stalls are practically made to break at the slightest provocation at a fight, right? That's how it works in a pi-… not pirate… town!

Jellybean is not to be found anywhere on the lists of Equestria's greatest fliers. The most charitable description of his flight is 'steady.' Thankfully, he was in motion when Snowfield charged forward, which made getting out of the way easier. He loops around the charging Windigo, first checking to make sure Typhoon's okay, and then follows the curve of his arc to face Snowfield again, this time coming in from her other side. Wishy Washy's remarks earn a nod. "Please, Snowfield, you have to fight it!"

Midnight-Sun gets as far as "Hey, Moon, I don't think it's work— look out!" before a sudden rushing mass of ice monster rushes by and over him. He tucks his wings in close as he falls out of its path and goes sprawling on the ground. Sophie is flung from his mane and skids away as he gasps for breath.

Squeak! One icy doom dodged and then another charges. Typhoon flits out of the way, circling around to get back next to Jellybean again. "It's a… a thing? Controlling her? Wh-where? How d-do we make it stop?"

Moon-Willow frowns. Well that didn't work out. Dodging and spinning to the side, she comes to a stop sliding on the ice and snow. Unhooking the necklace she slips the crystal from the wires it was set in. "I need help with this!" She shouts, "I don't know what this does but it MIGHT combat that weird glow. I need a unicorn and the fastest pegasus with me! Who's gonna help?"

Blackbird's ears flatten as kids are put in danger — or rather, as Twilight calls his attention to it. He prances nervously in place for a moment, then seems to make up his mind and steels himself. He kicks his hooves and moves to charge from around Sunshine — but there's a Windigo flying at them, and Sunshine and Rune are thrashed away, and it's really only old reflexes that kick him into gear. He twists and snaps his head away just in time to avoid the hooves.

Unfortunately, good timing can only get you so far, and it certainly doesn't get you a pretty landing. He falls in a heap with a grunt, muttering something in his mind about being too old for this shtuff. But he starts pulling himself back up. "Snowfield," he calls, voice pained. Did he twist something wrong? Ow. "Snowfield, I'm sorry. I was a real jerk to you."

Hoarfrost meeps as she runs toward Blackbird only to get charged at by the icy monstrosity. No! It's her teacher she shouldn't think that way. With lots of ice about she focuses her magic using a bit of ice to push the little filly out of the way of the charging Windigo. "Snowfield! You don't kill the ponies you love even if they hurt you!" glancing back to Blackbird, realizing who he is.

The windigo scrapes one of its forehooves on the ground and scowls at Blackbird. So he thinks he can bumble his way out of its wrath, eh? The apology is clearly not accepted as it prepares to charge again— when it suddenly finds itself blocked by a Jellybean! It blinks at the pegasus in confusion, eyes tracking between it and the cyan unicorn he's agreeing with. Fight it…? Fight what, exactly? Why does the pegasus keep talking to it in that voice…? It shakes its head and nickers as if trying to clear out cobwebs while its chest begins to pulse green again.

From his position directly in front of the windigo Jellybean may get a slightly better view which confirms his theories. The dark shadow in the windigo's torso is definitely shaped like a very small pony… one which seems to be contorting and holding its hooves to its head.

For the moment, at least, the ponies of the Square have a moment to get back on their hooves and catch their breath.

"Oh dear. This is wor-… okay, no, this is about as bad as I thought." The voice comes from behind the scattered ponies, a short distance away from where the group had been gathered. Manyara, wearing her thick winter cloak and carrying a large travel bag absolutely brimming with full bottles, is standing there, eyeing the Windigo with an expression that can only be described as sadness and regret. She levitates one of the bottles out of her bag and quickly quaffs the gleaming golden brew inside. Whatever it does is not immediately obvious, but she's got plenty of bottles, more than enough for everypony present, and one can only assume it must be useful.

"Please… do speak for yourself," came Quintessent's voice in response to Manyara, the seapony pulling herself out of the snowdrift and shaking her head - sending splinters flying every which way. Quin rather looks like, indeed, this was not a good day to wake up at all. Even more so when she pushes herself onto her hooves only to topple over once more with a yelp.

"Buck…" Rune groaned from the ground, letting her mask fall for a moment.

Moon-Willow takes flight flying like a bullet to land before Manyara. "Okay gypsy, if ever your knowledge would be useful it would be now." She holds up the crystal. "Can this do ANYTHING to help her?" She gestures to the Snowfield-turned-Windigo.

Twilight-Dancer gets back on his hooves and attempts to catch his breath. He shakes out his mane with a grumpy sort of growl, then tests his wings. They seem okay. He tests his hooves, too, limping slightly on the right foreleg. Ow. That'll need to be iced. He peers at Manyara and her bottles suspiciously. He starts to say something, but then Rune seems to be having some trouble. He flaps over there and attempts to help her back up.

Toybox lets out a startled squeal as Twilight Dancer goes down almost right next to her. She makes a few circles around him, "Ohno-ohno-ohno! Are you Okay Mistah?" The filly seems genuinely worried. It's obvious he's not dead, but he's still hurt! Her ears perk up as she's distracted by a call to arms. "Unicown?" She looks around, alarmed, then bounces excitedly and darts over, "I'mma unicown!"

Wishy-Washy nods quickly to Moon willow, accompanying the pony with the Mcguffin over to her neighbor. "Yes, We have to act quickly. I think Snowfield can only fight it for so long before the anger grips her again. There's something green in there that's keeping her from fighting, I think. she stops when we talk but then the green glow quickly leads her back to rancor!"

Jellybean nods. He's seen proof, which is encouraging, but… "What do we do? How do we separate her from it? Is that even what we have to do?"

Blackbird staggers to his feet, wincing as he eyes the fierce but confused form of the Windigo in the square. His mouth tightens in indecision. "I don't know what we have to do," he admits, "but I'm game for trying anything."

Manyara casts a glance over Moon Willow and Wishy. Two potion bottles float up in front of them, the golden liquid inside gleaming with some inner warmth. "Here, quickly. I do not know if that crystal will be of use now. Knowing somepony wishes her to use it may help, but she needs to be of a mind to understand that, and I'm afraid that pendant's influence is stronger than I had hoped." A bottle floats over to Rune, too. Somepony looks like she needs a drink, apparently.

Typhoon-Wave looks around somewhat frantically, as if she'll see the answer lurking at the edges of the Square. "Um… uh… um… it… it's something we can get off her? Can we, like… convince h-her to just… take it off? Will that w-work? Or… or we could… um…" yeah she's got nothing.

Midnight-Sun groans, slowly clambering back to his hooves. "I vote for anything short of bucking it in the muzzle." He shakes himself; Sophie skitters up his left rear leg and takes her position atop his head, glaring a fierce eightfold glare.

Sunshine certainly intends to do more than get back on her hooves! Being trampled is not exactly the most friendly way to be treated; for a pony recently saved from a lifetime of insanity, certain habits do die hard.

"And why shouldn't we buck it?" the metal-legged mare snorts, scrambling to right herself. "Buck the darn thing until it cracks apart and we can yank out that crazy little runt!" She paws at the cobblestone a couple times, all sorts of ready to run up and tackle the beast for what it's worth.

Quintessent-Rune raised her head, peering at the bottle somewhat suspiciously before turning towards Manyara again. "You mentioned a pendant? And influence? Are we, pray tell, working against enchanted jewelry?" Quin's face scrunched up slightly. "I hope not, enchanted jewelry are such a pain in the fi-… flanks. Always that one ring of doom or whatnot…"

Moon-Willow pulls a dagger from her left wing. "I can run distraction. I need a unicorn with steady levitation to get the crystal ready. I'll distract its anger and then those that know her must do EVERYTHING you can, use everything you know about her and plead like your lives depend on it. The second she shows a break through try and give her the crystal and beg her use it and fight the influence. Understand?"

Twilight-Dancer nods at the bucking plan. "I like that plan. Let's do that plan." He kicks out with his hindlegs, wobbling a bit on his hurt leg. Hrm. "Maybe not the best idea." He eyes Willow's somewhat more… friendly plan. Hrmph.

Wishy-Washy shakes her head quite quickly, quickly taking Manyara's offering of drink and downing it quite quickly before speaking up. "That isn't going to work. it's a regenerating being of ice and ding angry and violent things is only going to make the ice grow."

Toybox's ears droop a bit at the mention of steady levitation. She can levitate…sure…but steady? Surely not steady enough for what the pegasus is calling for. She frowns. "I don't fink my magic is good enough to help with that…" the filly says to Moon Willow.

"Don't attack Snowfield!" Hoarfrost yells at the metal legged pony. "She is my- my." the filly chokes something back, "Teacher! And our friend! Attacking a Windigo never does any good neither is attacking our friend!" stomping a hoof. Stepping toward the creature "Snowfield you can hear us I can tell please stop all this!"

Sunshine flicks her ears back. "It's not angry violence if we're trying to help her, is it..?" …Okay so maybe she missed the friendship lesson about hitting.

The potion would immediately leave Wishy feeling warm, and, if not happy, almost calm - harmonious might be a good word. Anger and fear wouldn't disappear if they were present, but they would dim. More bottles are being pulled out of the bag now and offered to anypony Manyara can spot. "I'm afraid that is rather what we are dealing with," she asides to Rune, "And as for trouble, well… you have no idea."

As the ponies discuss amongst themselves what to do next the Windigo appears to be collecting itself. At least until it hears Hoarfrost's voice, anyway. The creature looks at the little albino foal and its blue eyes widen slightly. "Hoooaaaaaar…" it groans, a rattling noise that sounds like the wind blowing through a chasm.

It does not manage to finish the name. Another howl of pain erupts from the creature. The light in its chest has moved from a pulse to a steady shine and the cyan magic that makes up its eyes has changed to a matching shade of putrid chartreuse. Better act quickly, little ponies, because you may not have much time to make your next moves!

Quintessent-Rune shot Sunshine a glance and shrugged weakly. "Perhaps, perhaps not? I do, however, know a source of rather un-angry violence if I may?" Reaching into her scarf - using her good leg - the seapony retrieved a pair of polished spheres covered in runes and lobbing them into the snow.

With a hum of gathering magic the two spheres pulled random scraps, snow and not a few paving stone around them - leaving two rather ragtag looking golems standing where they felt. "They are… rather a stopgap measure, Miss, though perhaps they will be able to aid. They're brittle, though have a tendency to pick themselves back up…"

Throwing a glance at Wishy - and seeing no obvious bad effects - Rune leaned down and bit the cork out of the bottle Manyara levitated to her, downing it herself.

"Everypony grab a potion!" shouts Blackbird, pointing at Manyara. And, true to form, he's going to let everypony else get one first, to be sure the others are safe.

Suddenly Ruby, and a big basketful of assorted dehydrated peppers - just like dehydrated fruit only spicy and unpalatable for most! Red chili, Jalepeno, Serrano, Habenaro, even Ghost Chili! Ruby rushes onto the scene, skidding to a stop she holds the basket over her head in the same fashion a romantic might hold up a boombox. "I brought dehydrated peppers, just like you wanted!" Ruby chimes cheerfully amidst the fray - completely out of place and doing the wrong thing at the wrong moment!

Fortune favors the bold, and boldness and zen are what was granted to Wishy-Washy by the potion. she quickly snatches up the necklace in her telekinetic grasp and gallops on up, attempting to do something that comes natural to any pony; Give the icy beast a hug wile perhaps doing something -ELSE- she's gotten quite practiced at; force feeding equines things! "Shh, it's okay, Snowfield, take it. You need to fight this on your own for your friends… and for future friends, because I want to become your friend when this is all said and done!"

GAME: Wishy-Washy made a skilled roll with an outcome of Okay.

Midnight-Sun has no idea what a potion might [daring] do to him, but he instinctively trusts anypony who seems to know what she's doing and downs the flask he's offered. The effect is immediate: he ceases shivering and stands straight for the first time since arriving on the scene. A quick flap launches him a foot above the ground and now he's hovering over Moon Willow's shoulder. The set of his jaw looks almost ridiculously determined. "I can't help remind her of herself, but I bet you can use a wingpony."

Wha, potion! Sunshine squints at it, but ultimately knows better than to go against the word of a mystic all-knowing pony. Thus, she chugs the drink and tosses the bottle aside. …No doubt when this is all over and she's back on 'garbage detail' she'll have to go pick it up later.

"Fine, fine, no bucking the monster." she grumbles, blinking at Rune and her golems. "Now where were those when we were getting tossed around? I could've used a shield!" Thus she promptly ducks behind one of the 'brittle' golems. Much safer. Yep.

Twilight-Dancer eyes the potion suspiciously, then watches Blackbird. He drinks it with a sigh, then nearly spits it out when Wishy starts to tacklehug the windigo. That can't possibly end well. He manages to swallow the potion, then ohs, peering at the bottle. Hey, that's not half bad. He ohs and launches himself into the air, hovering near Willow's other shoulder. "Two wingponies," he points out. "Just in case."

Quintessent-Rune scowled at Sunshine - for a split second, then her usual mask reasserted herself. If looking a bit strained. "I do believe I were in the process of trying to find them, Miss. Besides, I am rather certain you were employing my own personage as a shield at the moment." That might be sarcasm, or spite, in Quin's words.

Moon-Willow sighing at Wishy and storms after her. So much for the plan. She joins Wishy in the hopefully distracting…hug and hopes Midnight follows. "Snowfield, you can do this. This isn't you. Come back to your friends. Please."

Toybox's eyes go wide as the mare straight-up directly approaches the windigo and tries to force-feed it the potion. She blinks in disbelief but memories of her early childhood (okay…a few years ago) come back. "No! You don't gotta fowce heah to dwink it! She'll only spit it out! You gotsta make heah want it!"

Potion? We have potions? Hoarfrost grabs one of these random potions and drinks it up not sure if is the time for refreshments. The warmth in her is odd. As a snow witch she likes being cold but this isn't all the unpleasant. "Blackbird?" not totally sure he is this mysterious pony she kept reading about in the Journal. "Do you know how we are going to get her out?" a little worry in her voice.

Blackbird looks to the little filly, ears flicking back. "Honestly, kiddo, I haven't a clue," he says apologetically. "But it looks like some of these other ponies do. I'm sure we'll save her!" He smiles at her as reassuringly as he can manage.

Potions distributed as best she can hope for at the moment, Manyara takes a few steps towards the Windigo as well. Her eyes are fixed on the creature, on its chest, on that sickly green glow. Her horn's glowing - just about the same color as the potion, actually. And she's looking torn, concerned, and like she's doing her level best to keep her own composure. Sadness and regret can cause conflict just as well as anger and hatred can, after all. "Snowfield! I know you can hear us. Please… you have to fight this. This isn't you! Don't let it take you like this!" But she's still hanging back a bit, still keeping some distance. Room to dodge, presumably.

Potion? Potion? What potion? Potion? Oh! Hey. Typhoon blinks at the bottles floating around. Why are we drinking potion? Are we supposed to drink potion? She flits over to grab one - no, two! - and then hurries back to Jellybean, holding one out to him while trying to uncork the other.

Toybox, like the others, takes notice of the potion distribution to others. If the potion is supposed to turn the windigo into a better pony, that means it should turn her into an even better pony too, right? Ah. Young logic. She magic-grabs one of the bottles and pops it open to sniff at it. Without any further hesitation, she fills her filly belly up with the stuff.

Jellybean accepts the potion with a little nod and drinks it down. The warmth and calm spreads through him as though it was meant to be there which, honestly, it was. "Please, Snowfield, you have to listen to us. We're here for you. We'll help you through this, we promise. I promise."

The windigo rises to its hooves once more, its body gleaming green thanks to the light in its heart filtering through its crystalline body. It snorts and nickers as Wishy-Washy and Moon-Willow latch onto it and attempt to hug it. This is perhaps not the wisest of ideas. The chill of the creature's "flesh" is greater than any cold one might experience in an ordinary life. It is a cold one could only achieve if they spent a thousand years without knowing the light and warmth of the sun. The Saddle Arabian's attempt to force feed the creature the sand crystal doesn't go as well as she might hope. It certainly goes into the windigo's mouth but doesn't make it to Snowfield, instead getting trapped in its gullet where it is silhouetted by the light of the green heart.

It is a cold the windigo is more than happy to share. It stamps its hooves angrily again, almost as if it is throwing a tantrum, and the ice which has been covering the ground around it races out fast as a blink. A wave of cold air whirls around the monster as well to catch those silly little pegasi who think they can avoid its wrath by staying off the ground.

The buffeting winds and creeping ice, when they touch a pony, share that very cold the windigo feels in its frozen core. It is a soul-searing chill that claws at every happy memory in a pony's heart, tearing them away and exposing all of the hatred and loneliness and insecurity beneath. Life is filled with so much pain, surely it is better to lay down and sleep beneath the snow…

Not every pony is affected the same way, however. Manyara's golden potion, an elixir of happiness and strength that warms the heart from within, seems like just the thing to protect a pony from losing his or herself to the windigo's curse. How can one simply lay down and die when there are so many happy things in the world that bring a pony such warmth?

The scrap golems summoned by Quintessent-Rune, being heartless automata, do not suffer one way or the other. The ice might freeze their feet to the ground momentarily but it doesn't encase their nonexistent souls.

Alright, everypony! Those who drank a potion may +roll/talent to avoid succumbing to the windigo's curse! Those who didn't (which if I've been tracking right is Blackbird, Moon-Willow, Ruby-Blossom, and Typhoon-Wave) will +roll/unskilled On a 'good' or better you are unaffected! Lower than that… well, RP accordingly.

GAME: Jellybean made a talent roll with an outcome of Bad.GAME: Wishy-Washy made a talent roll with an outcome of Fantastic.GAME: Toybox made a talent roll with an outcome of Great.GAME: Quintessent-Rune made a talent roll with an outcome of Great.GAME: Blackbird made an unskilled roll with an outcome of Abysmal.GAME: Sunshine-Stormcloud made a talent roll with an outcome of Great.GAME: Manyara made a talent roll with an outcome of Good.GAME: Typhoon-Wave made an unskilled roll with an outcome of Abysmal.GAME: Ruby-Blossom made an unskilled roll with an outcome of Okay.GAME: Twilight-Dancer made a talent roll with an outcome of Great.GAME: Midnight-Sun made a talent roll with an outcome of Okay.GAME: Hoarfrost made a talent roll with an outcome of Great.

Jellybean sags, then lands as the cold overcomes him. It's no good. He's failed. Tears come to his eyes. "Snowfield… Snowfield, I'm sorry. I've been an awful friend." He approaches the Windigo slowly, head and wings hanging. "I'm horrible. I got so caught up in my own life that I abandoned you. I let this happen to you." He continues to approach the monster at a plodding gait. When he's close enough, he leans in and wraps a hoof around its neck, pressing against it in a hug. "Please forgive me."

Moon-Willow cries out ripping away from the windigo. She tries to fly but her wings have too much ice clings to them. She crashes beside the Windigo with a heavy thud. She shudders and her breathing is weak as despair clutches her heart. She doesn't move, and green eyes slide shut as tears freeze on her muzzle.

Wishy-Washy is too determined to right the wrong of not getting this accomplished the first time to care about the cold or any adverse effects on her body. she holds on for dear life, trying to use her magic to poke the charm up against Snowfield, which is probably working murder on the windigo's gullet. "Come on! Please don't fret, Everypony! It's desperate! we can melt it with our love and hugs! We can get to Snowfield! she can hear us! Don't give up and let Harmony be the only thing that resides in your heart tonight!"

Toybox stops completely as the ice covers the ground and spreads under her hooves. Her eyes seem to go blank for a while. Tears begin to well in her eyes as odd memories that don't make any sense to her, though they are her own, swirl around inside her mind. But…well…no! The filly will have none of that! Ponies are supposed to be happy…not sad, or lonely, or afraid! Ponies have families, and friends, and love! She snaps to, feeling even more determined than ever to do what she can to help. Moving the best she can on the ice the foal makes her way to the windigo. With a sliding crash, little foal legs embrace the creature in the biggest of hugs. Her horn glows and a warm, happy-feeling magic surrounds herself, the windigo, and those hugging it.

Eeep! Typhoon is not quick enough on the bottle, it seems; the potion drops from her hoof. Her wings lock up and she drops to the icy ground, not even bothering to catch herself and just winding sprawled out on her belly, hooves over her head, ears drooped, wings limp at her sides, for the moment the picture of abject misery.

Too little too late; Blackbird snaps his head toward Snowfieldigo when that blast of ice tears toward the ponies in an instant, but there's nothing he can do to shield himself. He lets out a hoarse cry and stumbles backward several steps. His heart squeezes and shrivels, his ears flattening. "You didn't do this, Jellybean," he says hoarsely, his words slowly building in vehemence as he continues. "She did this with her own… twisted soul. She let the assassins go, in the other world, Jellybean. She let them tell their masters where to find us. She let my daughter go out to die in the wastes alone. She's a monster! Let her DIE a monster!"

Twilight-Dancer shivers a little in the cold. That was weird. Then he blinks as ponies start dropping like, well, flies. He drops down and grabs Willow, starting to pull her away from the Windigo. "Stop freezing," he tells hers sternly. "Unprofessional." He pulls her back to what appears to be a safe-ish distance.

Gloooom! Oh the gloom! Memories of Ruby's foalhood burst forth; memories and feelings Ruby has worked so hard to suppress, and overcome through her 'charitable' works. Within a few moments Ruby is sat on her flank, forelegs resting against the cold ground between her rear splayed legs, and head hanging. All those awful memories are just enough to make the mare quit, and quit she does - basket of 'tasty' treats beside her. She sits quietly without stirring, and without any will power something very interesting would be seen if anypony were to look at her; but naturally everypony is far too focused on the Windigo - so it might go unnoticed that's there's a horn upon her head.

Manyara winces slightly, but otherwise doesn't react much to the chill. Perhaps she was expecting such a thing; maybe she's just good at a poker face. She takes a few steps closer, lowering her head slightly. "…Come on, Snowfield. Look how many ponies are here. Look how many ponies care. Look at what you have… You aren't alone. Not anymore. Don't let him make you think you are."

"SHE SHOULD BE ALONE," shakes Blackbird, though his voice breaks with the shedding of tears. "Look what she's done to us. To all of us! Let her die!"

Augh, hatred, sadness, nooo! Sunny ducks behind the golem again, huddling, waiting for the worst of it to wash over her. I mean sure, she's all warm and fuzzy, and there's Bad Thoughts all around her, but in the end? Just another day in paradise, right?

She peers out from behind those golems after the wave of 'meh' washes through. Some ponies succumb, others not so much, and Wishy even dares to suggest to run up and hug the frozen beast! The metal-legged mare squints. "Hugs. ..Eh why not. Hugs seem to fix everything else around here." She wills her legs to move, a crackly snap happening every time one of her metal hooves touch ground, freeze momentarily in place, and have to get yanked free. "I swear… I think even the doctors here use pure distilled hugs to fix everything. The bloody handypony that comes to fix your oven probably just knows where to hug it all better."

Eventually Sunny joins others in rearing up and wrapping forelegs around the great icy beast! She even whispers to it. "Hey… Hey Snowfield. It's okay! Shhhhh, it's okay… You remember that time, when you came on my boat and froze my legs off and left me to drown? But I didn't and I forgave you instead even when you went and thwarted my other plans? Take it from me, crazy just ain't worth it. Shhhh…"

Quintessent-Rune groaned for herself as she pushed herself onto her hooves - if rather unsteadily and requiring one of the golems to support her - and frowned at the Windigo. Even with the potion she's not doing all too well against the effect of the Windigo - that's sort of the problem being something of a spiteful pony by nature. Of course, Rune's also a spiteful pony that's grown up learning how to take that and stuff it in a dark corner of her mind - which she does promptly.

Turning slightly Quintessent threw her glance, her muzzle scrunching up at the sight of ponies falling under the sway of… that thing. "Oddball, Screwball. If the Windigo seek to approach any of the affected, to feel free to engage it and smash it across the nose. Go." Quick, precise command. The golems shuffled away, taking a slightly better position to cover the stricken ponies, all well. Well, almost all well. Quintessent was pretty sure she'd forgotten something. Like… what she's been leaning on.

With a yelp Quintessent toppled into the snow again.

Midnight-Sun shudders, his wings stroking feebly to keep him aloft. His eyes are wide and tearing as the shock of fear and loneliness sweeps through him. "I don't know what I'm doing here," he mutters. Then, more loudly: "What am I doing here? Why am I facing down a crazed fairy tale monster in a town far from home? I should just keep running." His voice is bitter and spiteful; he doesn't even seem to see his friend fallen below him. He turns away. Which is when four tiny legs whomp him solidly upon the brow. He starts shaking Sophie off — good riddance, what kind of pony is friends with a spider? — but makes the mistake of following her gesturing arms to see Moon Willow and Blackbird smitten below. Wait…

Moon-Willow sniffs pitifully. "I shouldn't even be here. I should have just stayed in Canterlot." She cries "Obviously my parents know what my life should be better than I do. I'm useless."

Twilight-Dancer bonks Willow (lightly) on the head. "Stop that." He deposits her next to Rune, then helps Rune back to a standing position, again. "Here, take care of," he waves a hoof at Willow, then heads back to see if anyone else needs rescuing. He lands next to Blackbird and bonks him on the head, too. Then he pauses. "Wait. Windigoed, or just grumpy?"

Blackbird reels back at the bonk and glares at Twilight-Dancer. "HEY! I'm not Windigoed OR grumpy. I'm just the only one who sees what's really going on here!!!" Yep, Windigoed.

Ruby-Blossom draws a little frowny face on the ground between her legs using the tip of her hoof :(

So… much… affection! The windigo shakes its head and nickers angrily as Wishy-Washy calls for everypony to cuddle it into submission. The back and forth twisting of its neck isn't enough to dislodge the Saddle Arabian, however— there is simply too much love in her heart!

Then the ponies begin their "assault". Despite its best efforts the windigo is unable to stop them from approaching, from embracing it. It tries to push away Toybox but fails to even muster the strength to remove a tiny foal from itself. Sunshine's, er, "kind" words to the creature cause it to buckle and grunt in pain. No, no forgiveness…

There's so much positive energy and friendship in this place! Cracks begin to appear in its hide, spiderwebbing across the surface of its body. Soon fragments of ice are sloughing off to the ground as piles of slush, revealing the true form of the shadow within the windigo's heart. "Why…?" Snowfield wails, eyes and chest aglow with green energy. She finds herself embraced by Jellybean even as the icy grip of her magic wrenches at his heart. "I don't mean anything to anypony," she hiccups into the pegasus' shoulder. "There's nothing to apologize for… you all hate me… why won't you leave me alone?"

Her gleaming gaze focuses on Blackbird yelling at her, screaming that she deserves everything that happened to her and should just lay down and die. Is it truly such a bad idea? "He's right, it's all my fault… I left her to die… and I don't feel bad about it… or anything at all…"

Quintessent-Rune blinked as Twilight swooped in and deposited Moon Willow nearby, and even gave a yelp as she was raised onto her hooves. Only to fall over once more the moment he left - planting her muzzle in the snow once more. Shaking her head to clear it - both of mental cobwebs from the impact and also the sensation of snow in her ears, Rune glanced at Moon-Willow.

Then scoffed. "Miss, while I cannot say for certain that does quite sound like bullocks. Take it from me - parents know naught but what they wish their children to be. Not what they are, what they want to be and what they should be!" Oh, another bout of spite, and a downright furious scowl!

As the windigo's body breaks apart the spell upon the hearts of those ponies around it loosens. Perhaps there is a light at the end of the tunnel after all…

Wishy-Washy looks back to the group of ponies all reeling and… wait, when did Ruby get here with a horn?!? regardless, she looks back at snowfield, smiling. "Hello, Snowfield. I am Wishy Washy. I've… heard many amazing things about you. it is my honor to meet your acquaintance!"

Twilight-Dancer glowers back at Blackbird. And Dancer is a PROFESSIONAL GLOWERER. He bonks the schoolteacher again. "Apologize," he says, drawing himself up to his full height (which is rather tall) and adopting his most sternest glower.

Moon-Willow gets to her hooves. She takes flight. "Midnight!" She swoops down and scoops up the spider. She moves over and hugs the mail pony. "You're all okay, right?" She looks at Snowfield. Hey look! Its…well…not a Windigo! "Snowfield?" She smiles tentatively. "Um…feeling better?" She keeps her eye on the unknown pony while her worried gaze flickers over her friends.

Blackbird lets out a whimper of rage and devastation and hopelessness as the spell begins to loosen, and Twilight knocks the rest out of him with another firm whap. He'll have a headache later, but let's be honest: he deserves it. "…She…she…" he stammers. As the Windigo cracks and Snowfield is there, the stallion shudders. Reminders of what he's done and said spiral across his wakening brain. "I…oh, god, Snowfield. Snowfield. I'm sorry." With a glance of thanks to Twilight, he then drags himself to the group hug and adds his own forelegs to the mix.

Toybox squints her eyes tightly. Whatever happened, it worked…and now that monster is a pony. Albeit a small pony, but a pony nonetheless! She smiles and the glow gets a little brighter and warmer. But, there are other ponies that need help now too!

Ruby-Blossom mutters quietly to herself. "Like they'd care anyways." Oh the spells grip is loosening; loosening just enough for Ruby to pull her flank off the ground and begin wandering away.

Twilight-Dancer hrmphs at Blackbird. He watches Blackbird drag himself into the hug, then sits down and examines his injured leg. He pulls some bandages out of his postal bag and starts wrapping his ankle. He acks as he gets hugged, waving Willow away. "Fine. Go hug her." He nods at Snowfield. "She turned into windigo. Me? Just need to be bandage."

Midnight-Sun's eyes go wide and he turns about to face the crumbling ex-windigo. He looks a bit sheepish as he rejoins Willow. "Sorry, don't know what came over me there." He firmly faces the little snow mare. "Hi. I'm Midnight. And it sounds like you've done some pretty bad things. But it also sounds like your friends want to forgive you. Won't you let them? It's kind of what they're for."

Magpie pokes her head from under an overturned wheelbarrow. "Momma?" She looks around, especially at Snowfield's crumbling shell, then sneaks over to throw her hooves around Ruby's neck. "Mom? Are you okay?"

Jellybean continues to hug Snowfield: if anything, he squeezes tighter. "Don't say that. You DO mean a lot to us. You're our friend. I'm just sorry I don't come to visit you more: I bet if I did things would've been better. I'll try harder from now on, okay? I promise. Just please, don't be so mean to yourself. It's not okay, not like when you tease me." Jellybean sees the good in everything. "Anything you've done, you know we forgive you."

Manyara isn't a hugger. She's really not. She's not much one for physical contact at all, truth be told. So she sits on the edge of the hug-fest, and digs into her travel bag. Apparently there's more than potions in there! There's a little wrapped package. Tied with an ice-blue ribbon and adorned with a single bud of Windigo's Kiss. She digs it out of the bag and settles it on top. It's looking better, but… it's not over yet, and she at least seems to recognize that. "Snowfield. Come now. This isn't you. You feel… you care. I know you do." She picks herself up, and takes a small step forward, holding out a hoof. "Now… let me get that… that thing, off of you. I would very much like to have my friend back as she is."

"Perhaps, Miss Snowfield, you would do best not naysay for the moment," came Quintessent Rune's voice from where she lay in the snow - off from the pile, one hoof raised. "Though, you might wish to take my advice with some skepticism - I seem to be making rather awful choices today…"

Quintessent's eyes dropped, following her hoof as it fell back to the snow. "And… if you excuse me, I do feel… that's about to be remedied - smashing through a stand rather hurts. If anypony could ensure I get home…" Rune doesn't get much further as she face-plants once more - out could. Both literally and figuratively.

Sunshine hasn't quite given up hugging Snowfield yet. Now that there is, indeed, a Snowfield there to hug. She said her main piece, it's up to the happy-fuzzy-magical-hug-cloud-rainbow-super-friendship-team to finish this off. "Gee Snowfield, for a little runty grump of a snow-pony nobody likes, you're sure getting a lot of affection and hugs."

Wishy-Washy speaks up really quickly. "by the way, you can turn off the eyelight spell. glowy eyes are impressive but they probably scare the little foals just a tad."

Hug! A hug Ruby almost manages to shake off and dismiss, but a hint of effort from the weakening spell allows Ruby to mutter quietly. "No…" she looks down right sour at the moment; gently she removes the hugging foal. "We'll…talk later." Ruby then proceeds to quietly trot off; there's no denying the hug helped immensely.

Midnight-Sun eyes Wishy askance. "Have you met these foals?"

Magpie blinks in confusion and shock. She sits there in the snow, then turns to follow Ruby. At a distance. …just in case.

Toybox blinks a few times at Wishy, "I'm not scawwed of glowing eyes. I'm not six anymow!"

Moon-Willow sighs and hugs Twilight. "Thanks for getting me to safety. It was really brave of you."

Typhoon-Wave peeks out from behind her hooves. It's… well, it's a little less cold. She still doesn't seem inclined to get up, but, y'know, at least she moved.

Twilight-Dancer acks at further hugs. "Gih. Not brave. Just normal. Please. Hug former windigo." He tries to pry Willow off of him. Once he's free, he flutters over to collect Rune and see she gets home alright.

Toybox creeps up behind Typhoon and tackles, latching onto her with a giant filly hug. Her horn glows again, that warm, friendly magic glow blanketing the both of them.

Snowfield hiccups again as the hugs keep coming. "I… I…" Her eyes look slowly between all the ponies around her. Toybox squeezing her tightly. Sunshine's hugging mixed with jovial sass. Wishy and Midnight introducing themselves as friends. Manyara with a bud of their flower. The gift she always gave the abada when she would visit as a… friend. Blackbird… apologizing? And Jellybean just being Jellybean. Always so infuriatingly friendly, no matter what the situation.

There's a drip of liquid on the ground then another. Tears are falling from Snowfield's eyes and with each one the glow in her eyes and her heart seems to lessen. "I… I'm so sorry!" she cries, leaning forward into everypony's embrace, burying her face in Jellybean's shoulders as her body shudders with every sob and hiccup. "I didn't mean to… I was so…"

The glow around her heart fades, though with so many ponies clustered around her it may be difficult to see. Revealed around her neck, hanging by a delicate chain, is an ornate silver pendant. Set within the middle of it is a glass phial, wider at the bottom than the top and containing a mysterious green liquid.

Moon-Willow laughs and trots over to Snowfield. "It is nice to finally meet you. I saw your grotto. Those ice sculptures are amazing." She reaches out and grasps at the weird necklace in attempt to snap it, using all her considerable strength.

Wishy-Washy takes notice of this and plucks it off with her telekinesis, floating it in front of Manyara. "This wretched thing. Do you want to study it or should I destroy it…?"

or not! Wishy seems beaten to destroying the thing!

Jellybean runs a hoof through Snowfield's mane, a technique he perfected as a big brother. "It's okay. You don't need to apologize. We understand. Now I need to go make sure Typhoon's okay, all right? We can talk more later when we're all feeling better." He lets her go and trudges through the snow to where his wife is laying. He leans down and nuzzles her, then brushes snow off of her coat and wings. "Are you all right?"

The pendant seems resistant to snapping. Moon-Willow's tugging succeeds only in making the chain dig into Snowfield's neck. "Ow, ow," she moans into Jellybean's shoulder, closing her eyes in a wince. "Stop that." When the pegasus steps away she nods weakly to him and rubs the new sore spot on her neck.

Midnight-Sun's eyes immediately track the glowing pendant, every instinct humming along with its glow. Destroy it? What? Sure, it seems to have been instrumental in turning a pony into a fairy tale monst— oh, right. It takes a real effort of will for him to focus again on the recovering Snowfield. Buoyed by the potion's golden glow, he manages to take a few tentative steps towards the former fairy tale monster and also a smile that is a hair more friendly than it is freaked out.

Manyara gives a small frown, horn glowing as she carefully, slowly, tries to lift the necklace from around Snowfield's neck. She seems hesitant to full-on grab it, and, indeed, winces a bit when Moon Willow does. "I'll just… get this… taken care of."

Typhoon-Wave blinks up at Jellybean, giving a little sniff and wiping a hoof across her eyes. "I… I…" she leans slightly into the nuzzle, and takes in a deep breath, managing a small nod, slowly picking herself up. "Uh-huh. …I-is Snowfield a-alright?"

Sunshine sets back, giving Snowfield a couple pats on the back for good measure. She glances back at the schoolhouse, torn to shreds by ice, and around the rest of the Town Square, frosted over. Ponies seem to be more or less recovering. Where's her ex-goons to say something silly and lighten the moment? Oh, right. One's playing pirate, and the other's sitting in a jail cell. She should really think about letting him out now… Anyway it appears to fall onto her. So she clears her throat, raises her voice, and, in a lame voice:

"So. Who wants ice cream?"

Blackbird withdraws as Sunshine does, patting Snowfield a little as he does so. It would be awkward, wouldn't it? To linger? Oh, this is all too confusing. "Ice cream … sounds cold," he admits with a small, bare chuckle.

Typhoon-Wave squeaks faintly. Suddenly, foal! She blinks back at Toybox and blushes, looking a bit startled, but slowly relaxing as the cold faded further. She then blinks up at Jellybean, giving a little sniff and wiping a hoof across her eyes. "I… I…" she leans slightly into the nuzzle, and takes in a deep breath, managing a small nod, slowly picking herself up, careful not to dislodge the foal. She even hugs back! "Uh-huh. …I-is Snowfield a-alright?"

Moon-Willow winces. "Sorry. Not so good with the handling of magical things." She back up, "I'll um…be over here I guess." She trots over to Midnights side. "I think you

Jellybean nods. "She'll be fine, I think. But we should definitely make sure to see her soon."

Toybox lets out a little giggle, seeing that Typhoon is returning back to normal. But, Jellybean is now here to save the day and since the two of them are special someponies, she'll leave them be! She beams a smile at the both of them then perks up at the mention of ice cream, "Ice Cweam! Ice Cweam!" Apparently she doesn't get the joke.

Snowfield sniffles and wipes her nose. Her face is pointed to the ground in embarrassment but she glances up through her matted mane at Sunshine. "…I want sprinkles," she mumbles.

"I… would personally rather have a nice hot bowl of… currrhhhh" Wishy-Washy suddenly finds herself out of the burst of adrenaline that let her hold onto the windigo's mad flailing, the shock she must have felt from being at ground zero of the curse finally catching up with her. This has been an exhausting week with an even more exhausting climax, and between the exposure to the iciest of colds and all the stress, the saddle arabian mare winks out, faceplanting right beside all the hugging ponies.

Hoarfrost poke her head from the snow bank she was tossed into. "Snowfield!" she cries with joy, tears of her own running down her face. At first it might look like she is going to hug her but holds up short knowing the mare doesn't like to be touched. "I'm so glad you're ok!"

Moon-Willow Moon Willow winces. "Sorry. Not so good with the handling of magical things." She trots over to Midnight. "I think you're missing something." She places the misplaced spider on his head. "So no more angst, right? Need a hug?"

The necklace lifts easily off of Snowfield's neck when Manyara hefts it. The chain may be snap-resistant but it's still only a chain. It's not like it was glued to her… not physically, anyway.

Sunshine, relieved that her moment of Bad Joke didn't go punished, or even unappreciated, snorts at Twilight-Dancer. "I'll compromise with you. Hot cocoa ice cream. The local shop's got it." She scuffs a hoof against the frozen ground. "It's pretty good…" Then she points at Snowfield. "Besides, she wants sprinkles. Thus, there must be sprinkles!"

Ponies begin to slowly back away from Snowfield to tend to their own. The forest witch sees Hoarfrost come out of the snow drift and trot over. "Hoarfrost…" she mumbles, taking an awkward step forward. A hoof is raised in a vague gesture, half-lowered, and raised again. She seems unsure what to say to the filly.

"There were a lot of ponies worrying after you," Blackbird murmurs quietly. "Lots of ponies care." Sunshine's compromise earns a threadbare smile, and he nudges Twilight-Dancer. "I'm with you. Hot cocoa and marshmallows is the way to go. Glad the shop serves both."

Twilight-Dancer hrmphs. "Can't force traditional post-windigo drink on ponies," he mutters, mostly to himself. He shrugs and sighs. "Fine. Can get ice cream." He tosses his mane, then starts to limp towards the store, not pausing to see if anypony's following.

Manyara seems relieved to retrieve the pendant, letting out a slow breath. She floats it in front of her for a moment or two, turning it this way and that, frowning at it unhappily as though it were something at once disgusting and terrifying. Then it gets wrapped in a cloth, and begins to be tucked away into a pocket of the travel bag. "Hot cocoa ice cream with sprinkles. That does sound somewhat enjoyable."

Wishy-Washy starts snoring her horribly loud horse whinny of a snore. What a bum! Both sleeping in the street AND disturbing the peace with her snoring!

Midnight-Sun grins at Willow. Now there's a friend. "I could say the same to you." Sophie crosses four of her legs and nods emphasis. "How about we call a truce on the angst until next time we go drinking? Now that it looks like there might still be a town here next week."

Hoarfrost smiles a warm kind of smile. No doubt still bubbly from the potion she got. Tears then of course are tears of joy. Giving a nod to her teacher with a understanding in her eyes. "It's ok. I don't think I am any good at this kinda stuff either. W-What's Icecream?"

Snowfield continues sitting there, cheeks stained with tears and hoof raised awkwardly for a moment more as Hoarfrost smiles at her and begins to cry as well. Something in her head finally clicks and she throws herself forward, wrapping her forehooves around Hoarfrost and drawing the filly towards her in a tight hug. She neglects to explain what ice cream is.

Toybox bounces after Twilight Dancer. Icecream! Yay! She lets out a cheerful giggle, looking back at the rest of the ponies. She wipes her hooves together as if brushing off dirt. Yup…her work here is done! With more bouncing, she joins in the following once more.

Sunshine starts to head off towards the ice cream parlor, but Wishy-Washy's snoring reminds her of something. She trots over, and somehow arranges Wishy on her back. There. Now she can carry the sleeping dancer pony back to Ruby's place to drop off on the way to ice cream. "Onward!" she proclaims, trotting off!

Ice cream is forgotten, Hoarfrost snobs harder and holds Snowfield as tightly as her filly strength can bring to bear. "I was- I couldn't-I didn't-" the young unicorn mutters incoherently a great emotional weight lifted off her all at once with something so simple as a hug. Just not wiping her tears away she buries herself in Snowfield's mane for a moment. "I was worried." she finally manages to get out. "Thank you for coming back."

Snowfield gives Hoarfrost a squeeze. "I'm sorry I worried you. I won't chase you away again, Hoarfrost." She hiccups again and then lets go of the Daybreak filly. "Come on, everypony is waiting for us. You'll find out soon enough what ice cream is. I think you'll enjoy it." She begins walking after the other ponies who came to her rescue, eyes glancing skywards as the swirling clouds overhead begin to spin away from the town, allowing the first rays of sun in a long time to shine down like sparkling shafts of light.